Want a FREE “Legalize Street Food” sticker for your food truck or cart? Email activism@ij.org. Make sure to include whether you'd like a slate gray or sangria color decal.

Legalize Food Carts in Chicago

Did you know that sidewalk vendors in the Windy City are not allowed to sell any food other than raw, uncut produce or frozen desserts? That means no tamales, no corn on the cob—not even a Chicago-style hot dog! Vendors live in fear of being caught for earning an honest living. Some have even been arrested for selling tamales to their neighbors in Little Village.

Miami’s hard-working, mostly immigrant street vendors embody the entrepreneurial spirit. They provide a service that willing customers gladly seek out, and they provide a better life for their families. But Miami’s laws make it extremely difficult and sometimes impossible for these entrepreneurs to earn an honest living. Vendors are prohibited from standing still and they are not allowed to put anything on the ground. A simple bucket of flowers set on the ground can earn the vendor a $500 fine. Violating these or other regulations is a misdemeanor, punishable by outrageous fines and even jail time.

This is not the American Dream.

IJ and the United Vendors of South Florida are fighting to change the law. Tell the city commission that vendors like Esther have the right to economic liberty and that the law needs to change.

About the National Street Vending Initiative

Through its National Street Vending Initiative, the Institute for Justice works to defeat anti-competitive restrictions that violate the constitutional rights of street vendors to earn an honest living. This initiative combines litigating against these restrictions in state and federal courts, helping vendors organize in order to fight these restrictions through activism, and educating the public about the importance—both economically and socially—of street vendors.

Are you a vendor whose business is being hurt by protectionist laws? We can help. Email activism@ij.org to join our fight to legalize street vending in your city.

Join Liberty in Action to receive opportunities to take action in your state.